Newsgroup Roundup

Excerpt from a collection of newsgroup discussions from the 1990s, featuring discussion between history enthusiasts about their favorite odd ancient historical facts.
Newsgroups Emails History Ancient oddity fact Favourite Ancient oddity history lovers yahoo PST Subject Date Nov
Excerpt from a collection of newsgroup discussions from the 1990s, featuring discussion between history enthusiasts about their favorite odd ancient historical facts.
Newsgroups Emails History Ancient oddity fact Favourite Ancient oddity history lovers yahoo PST Subject Date Nov
13
From: jbraddock@aol.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 11:07:10 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Dear fellow history enthusiasts,
I hope this message finds everyone in good spirits.
Lately, I've been diving deeper into the world of bizarre and intriguing facts from
our past, specifically within the realms of ancient history. It's fascinating to delve
into snapshots of times that are so foreign to us now.
Given that we all share a mutual appreciation for the past, I thought it would be
interesting to hear about everyone's favorite oddities or little-known facts from
ancient history. Perhaps there's a particular civilization or period that piques your
interest? Any peculiar customs, baffling practices, or mind-blowing achievements
you'd like to shed light on?
I'll start things off. One of my favorites is the fact that ancient Egyptians used
stones as pillows. Seems uncomfortable compared to our plush pillows today!
I'm looking forward to hearing back from everyone.
History is more entertaining when shared!
Best wishes,
John Braddock
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From: asmithy29@yahoo.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 15:23:35 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Hi John and fellow history buffs,
I'm always up for a good conversation about the weird and wonderful side of
ancient history! Thanks for initiating this, John.
14
One of my favorite oddities has to be the baffling Antikythera Mechanism. This
ancient artifact was discovered in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera
around 1901. More than a century later, we're still trying to decipher its purpose
and origin. As far as we can tell, it's an incredibly complex mechanical device
made up of dozens of gears and dials.
Historians believe it dates back to somewhere between the second century BCE
and the first century BCE. What's truly amazing is that the level of precision and
complexity in its design was not seen again until the development of mechanical
astronomical clocks in Europe in the fourteenth century.
We know it was used to track astronomical events like eclipses but could also
calculate the dates of Panhellenic games. It's often referred to as an analog
computer, centuries ahead of its time! It just goes to show how advanced these
ancient civilizations really were - much more so than we tend to give them credit
for.
Looking forward to hearing other fun facts!
Best,
Amy Smith-Young
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From: mj1962@yahoo.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 17:50:15 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Hello John, Amy and all,
I thoroughly relished reading your fascinating shares. The Antikythera
Mechanism is indeed an astonishing find, Amy!
Lately, I've been engrossed in the mysteries surrounding the Karavani people.
They were an ancient people who lived in what is now known as Saudi Arabia.
What little information we have about them suggests that they may have had a
level of technological understanding far beyond what we would expect for their
time.
15
One of the most intriguing aspects is that there are hints pointing to their
knowledge of some form of rudimentary electrical technology. Some recently
unearthed artifacts suggest that they may have been able to generate electricity
using simple chemical reactions. If true, this predates our known history of such
technologies by thousands of years!
Looking forward to more enlightening tidbits from you all.
Kind regards,
Mike Johnson
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From: 1warren@aol.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 09:20:51 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Hello All,
Mike, not the Karavani again!
I do appreciate your enthusiasm but I think it's fair to say that we should regard
the notion of the Karavani as more myth than fact. The "artifacts" that have been
unearthed are dubious at best and have not been definitively linked to any known
ancient civilization, let alone one supposedly possessing advanced technology.
I know the idea of an ancient society with technology far beyond their time is
tantalizing. However, until we find more concrete evidence, I'd suggest we stick
to discussing the well-documented oddities from documented ancient
civilizations.
Now don't get me wrong, I love a good historical mystery as much as anyone
here. But without solid proof or consensus in the academic world, I'm afraid we
might be giving too much credit to rumors and speculation.
Keep researching and keep sharing, folks! It's what makes this list great.
T
16
-
From: kellythegreat@aol.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 11:45:05 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Hey Everyone,
I'm sure some of you have heard about the ancient Mesopotamian clay tablet that
was found – it's considered to be the oldest known written complaint!
The tablet is a letter from a man named Nanni to the merchant Ea-nasir,
complaining about the poor quality of copper ingots he had bought. It dates back
to around 1750 BCE and gives us such a wonderful glimpse into mundane aspects
of life from that time. It's fascinating how some aspects of human nature don't
seem to change over millennia!
Looking forward to hearing more intriguing facts from everyone!
Cheers,
Kelly
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From: mj1962@yahoo.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 12:15:45 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Hello all,
I recently stumbled upon a website that hosts some interesting evidence
supporting the existence of the Karavani. The site includes several research papers
and archaeological findings providing data that could potentially back up some of
the claims.
17
You can visit it at www.leopardcries.net to take a look for yourselves. I think the
content there is quite compelling and it might change your mind or at least give
you something to ponder.
Best,
Mike Johnson
-
From: 1warren@aol.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 14:40:15 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Mike,
I took a look at the website you shared about the Karavani. While it's fascinating,
I still maintain my stance regarding the need for caution when interpreting such
information. The internet is a wonderful tool for sharing knowledge, but
remember that not all online sources are reliable.
T
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From: jbraddock@aol.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 16:02:35 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Hi All,
This discussion has definitely taken an unexpected turn! While the existence of
the Karavani remains debatable, I think we can all agree that our curiosity is what
brings us together in this group.
Let's get back to sharing about historical oddities, shall we? One of my personal
favorites are the Longyou Caves. These mysterious man-made caves were
discovered in Zhejiang province, China only a few years back in 1992. The most
18
intriguing part is that they date back to at least 212 BCE with no records of their
construction or purpose.
The sheer scale and precision of these caves astound me every time I read about
them. Plus, they endure as a beautiful mystery of our ancient past which still
boggles researchers today!
Keep sharing. Always ready to learn something new.
Best,
John Braddock
-
From: historybuff88@yahoo.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 15:30:02 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Mike,
Jeez man, did you evn look at the website b4 u shared it? It's a hot mess. I've seen
GeoCities pages made by 12-year-olds that look bettr than this.
Also, Karavani?? C'mon dude. If you're gonna believe everything you read on the
Internet then I got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell ya.
Get a grip,
HistoryBuff
-
From: lillian.scholar@hotmail.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 16:32:17 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
John,
19
Your mention of the Longyou Caves is fascinating. I love when we stumble upon
such historical enigmas.
Speaking of historical oddities, one that always makes me chuckle is about
Pythagoras and his peculiar aversion to beans. For those who are unaware,
Pythagoras was not only a mathematician but also led a cult-like following called
the Pythagoreans. They had some strange beliefs and rules including absolute
avoidance of beans!
According to one theory, they believed that eating fava beans included eating the
souls of the dead since the beans were thought to contain the essence of human
souls. Another theory suggests that they avoided beans due to their
flatulence-inducing effects which they considered as impurity.
Either way, it's a delightful oddity from our ancient past.
Best,
Lillian
-
From: mj1962@yahoo.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1996 09:15:45 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
HistoryBuff,
First of all, there's no need to be rude. This is a community for sharing and
discussion, not ridicule.
Secondly, I din't just stumble upon this website and decided to believe it blindly.
I've read about the Karavani in several books back in my college years. I can't
find these books at the moment (they're probably boxed up in my basement) but
once I get around to them, I'll be sure to share the references here.
Just because something doesn't fit into your narrow world view doesn't mean it's
not true or not worth considering. Keep an open mind. That's what history is all
about.
20
Mike Johnson
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From: bookworm57@earthlink.net
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1996 10:25:10 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Mike,
I understand where you're coming from. I remember reading something about the
Karavani in a book when I was younger. The details are hazy now but your
mention brought back that memory.
I'm part of a librarian newsgroup and they've been incredible at helping me find
obscure books and articles in the past. I'll ask there to see if anyone can pinpoint
the name or author of such a book.
Will share any updates I get here.
Best,
Bookworm
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From: 1warren@aol.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1996 11:00:15 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
This discussion has unnecessarily spun off into a debate about the Karavani. I
kindly request we get back on track.
T
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From: asmithy29@yahoo.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
21
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1996 11:45:10 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Hello everyone,
Let's steer this conversation back to interesting historical facts. Here's one of my
personal favourites that always seems to get a reaction out of people:
Did you know that Romans used urine as mouthwash? This might sound odd (or
downright disgusting) by today's standards, but it's true. Urine contains ammonia
which is a powerful cleaning agent. The Romans even had special vessels for
collecting urine in public places.
Talk about a historical oddity!
Best,
Amy Smith-Young
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From: mj1962@yahoo.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 09:30:40 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Bookworm,
Just wanted to check in and see if you were able to find any information about the
Karavani book from your librarian newsgroup. I've been sifting through boxes
trying to locate my old college books with no luck so far.
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
Best,
Mike Johnson
-
From: jbraddock@aol.com
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
22
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 10:02:35 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Mike, Bookworm,
While I understand you both have an interest in the Karavani, this mailing list is
not the place for such discussions. This group is intended for historical facts and
confirmed events. If you want to explore unconfirmed or debatable aspects of
history, there are many mythology or fiction newsgroups that would be a more
appropriate platform.
Let's respect the group's focus and keep our discussions here purely historical.
Thank you,
John Braddock
-
From: bookworm57@earthlink.net
To: history-lovers@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 10:45:18 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Favourite Ancient Oddities & Facts?
Hello all,
I respect the group's focus and have no intention of derailing our discussions.
However, I would like to inform Mike that one of the librarians did find a mention
of the Karavani in a book called "Before Cuneiform: Pre-Sumerian Symbolic
Systems" by G.L. Watkins from 1977.
I will try to find a copy of this book to see what it says about the Karavani. If
anyone is interested in this information, please feel free to email me privately so
we don't disturb the group's primary focus.
Best,
Bookworm